Wal-Mart is an Urbanism of its Own

Understanding that Wal-Mart has nearly covered the rural and peri-urban markets, I couldn't help but notice how the company has been eyeing urban territories. Up until now, Wal-Mart has tried six times to open a store within the limits of New York City. Yet, it has never been able to circumvent the city's strong labor presence, activist population, and restrictive zoning laws. But simply counting on local resistance to keep Wal-Mart from entering these urban markets is not a long-term winning strategy for these objectors. Rather, it is appropriate to proactively set the terms and conditions under which Wal-Mart can operate within city limits, instead of succumbing to its gradual implantation, and eventual degradation, of the urban identity.

This project addresses the aforementioned dynamic, seeking to understand and qualify the forces at stake when implanting a consumerist industry within an urban fabric. Before designing, I had to depict Wal-Mart's logistical system. Then it became a matter of developing a real estate strategy to obtain relevant properties in the city of New York. Finally, I drew inspiration from one case-study about Harlem to ground the project within realistic parameters.